Acetylene-gas generator



No. 625,260. Patented may le, |899. o. H.. HAMPTON.

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application led May 5, 1898.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

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No. 625,260. Patented May |6, |899. .y

o. H. HAMPTON.

AGETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application led May 5, 1898.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT LOEEICE.

OLIVER H. HAMPTON, OF WILLIAMSBURG, INDIANA.v

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 625,260, dated May 16, 1899.

. Application tiled May 5. 1898. Serial No. 679,802. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, OLIVER H. HAMPTON,l

of Williamsburg, in the county of IVayne and State of Indiana, have invented a new and Improved Acetylene-Gas Generator, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved acetylene-gas generator which is simple and durable in construction, very safe, and arranged to automatically control the generation of gas from the calcium carbid according to the amount of gas used.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a sectional side elevation of the improvement on the line l l of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional side elevation` of the generator proper and with its bell in a raised position, and Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view of the same on the line 4. 4 of Fig. 3.

The improved acetylene-gas generator is provided with a generator A proper, and a gasometer B,having the usual bell B,arran ged to rise and fall in the water contained in the tank B2. The generator A is provided with a tank C, having a funnel-shaped bottom C', the apex of which terminates in a valved outlet C2 for discharging from time to time the slaked lime accumulating in the tank. The tank O is filled with water, in which the generator-bell D is adapted to rise and fall, said generator-bell being provided on its sides with spring-hooks D', adapted to engage a iiange O3 at the upper end of the tank O to limit the upward movement of the generator-bell. The hooks D' when pressed inward by hand permit of lifting the bell D out of the tank O.

In the upper portion of the bell D is arranged an air-cock E for allowing the escape of air upon starting the generation of gas, and within the bell and likewise in the upper end thereof is arranged a carbid-holder F, adapted to contain a suitable amount of calcium carbid. The holder F is provided with a basket F', having its bottom formed of gratebars F2 F3, arranged alternately and at different levels, as is plainly indicated in Fig. 3, to prevent the calcium carbid from accidentally dropping through the grate into the water contained in the tank C. A cap F4f1ts over the basket F and is provided in its top with openings F5 for the escape of the gas generated into the upper portion of the bell. The basket F is rigidly secured on a tube F6, extending downward below the lower edge of the bell D, and said tube is secured by a set-screw F7 to a tube D2, depending centrally from the bell D, said tube being provided near its upper end with apertures D3 to allow the gas to passY from the upper end of the bell into the tube, .as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 3.

Into the bell-tube D2 extends a pipe G, ris- Y ing centrally in the tank C, above the level of the water therein, the lower end of said pipe G passing through the wall of the tank O to the outside to carry at its outer end a valve G', as indicated in Figs. l and 2. The pipe G then passes through the wall of the gasome ter-tank B2 into a stand-pipe G2, rising from the bottom of said tank B2, above the level of the water contained therein, so that the gas from the generator-bell D can flow through the pipe G and stand-pipe G2 into the gasometer-bell B', from which the gas can iow through the outlet-pipe H into the servicepipe H', connected with the burners.

The extreme lower ends of the stand-pipe G2 and the pipe H are provided with outletpipes G3 and H2, respectively, provided at their outer ends with valves G4 H3, which when open permits the Water of condensation accumulating in the pipes G2 and H to be discharged therefrom whenever desired.

The bell B' is provided with a centrally- 2 J, the lower end of which extends somewhat above the lower edge of said bell, so that in case of an excess of gas accumulatingin the bell B the latter rises to such height that the lower end of the pipe J leaves the water to allow the gas in the bell to escape.

The operation is as follows: The generatorbell D when lifted out of the tank C can be readily illed with calcium carbid by loosening the set-screw F7 and'slipping the tube F6, Y

together with the basket F', oif the tube D2. Now by removing the cap F4 the basket F can be readily filled with calcium carbid and contained in the holder F in contact with the water in the tank C, so that gas is generated, and said gas passes from the bell through the apertures D3 into the tube D2 and finally into the pipe G and from the latter into the stand-pipe G2 and to the bell B. Now as the collar B4 is somewhat below the weight I the bell B rises upon the accumulation of gas until the said collar moves in contact with the weight, and upon further generation of the gas the bell B rises and the collar B4 abuts against the weight I. The back pressure of the gas will now cause said generatorbell D to rise and move the calcium carbid out of the Water in the tank C. Now as the gas is withdrawn through the pipes II H from the bell B the pressure decreases and the generator-bell D sinks by its own weight to again bring the calcium carbid in Contact with the water in the tank C. The above-described operation is then repeated-that is, acetylene gas is generated and iiows into the gasometerbell B', and when the pressure of the gas has risen within this bell to the desired degree then the gasometer-bell overbalances the generator-bell, and the latter is forced upward by the pressure of the gas. As the pressure of l the gas positively controls the generator-bell B and the calcium carbid carried thereby, it is evident that the carbid is lifted out of the water as soon as a suiiicient quantity of gas has been generated and stored in the bell B'.

The weight I for the bell B can be increased or diminished, according to the pressure desired at the burners, it being understood, however, that the weight must be sufficient to maintain a constant pressure as nearly as possible and as above explained. It is evident that the gas-pressure caused by the weight of the generator-bell will remain constant throughout the entire apparatus, because whenever the pressure rises above that of the generatorbell gas generation ceases and will at' once begin again if the pressure is brought below it by using the gas,

Vso that the pressure in the service-pipes is The bell is now replaced in the always the same and is determined by the weight of the generator-bell.

When starting the machine, the valve G' is closed, and the air-cock E is opened, so that upon the first downward movement of the generator-bell D the air in the latter can read ily escape, the cock then being closed and the valve G opened to allow the gas generated to pass to the gasometer-bell, as above explained.

The tube or rod B3 is of such a length that when its lower end rests on the bottom of the tank B2 then the lower edge of the bell B' is a suitable distance above the bottom ofthe tank, and the collar B4 is held such a distance below theweight I that the bell B can rise that distance before the upward pressure against the bell tends to lift the weight I.

The calcium carbid is thus held in contact with the water in the tank C until the pressure in the bell B is sufficient to lift the weight I, and consequently a uniform pressure of gas will be maintained in the burners. All fiickering of light is thus completely prevented.

By having the large pipes G'f2 H and the drain-pipes G3 and H2 for the same the'gas can be rendered quite dry, thus insuring a bright light at all times.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- .l. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination with a tank provided with a verti- ICO IIO

2. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination with a tank provided with a verti-V cal outlet-pipe having its upper end open and unobstructed, of a bell provided with a tube depending from its top and sliding on the outlet-pipe, said tube being apertured directly beneath the top of the bell, a tube fitting on the tube of the bell and having its lower end detachably secured to the lower end of the bell-tube, a carbid-basket secured to the upper end of the said tube, and having an apertured cover, and means for limiting the upward movement of the bell, substantially as described.

3. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination with a tank having an inwardly-projecting iiange at its .upper end and provided with a vertical outlet-pipe, of a bell provided with a depending tube sliding on the outletpipe and having its upper end apertured, 4a carbid-basket detachably secured within the upper end of the bell, and spring-hooks carried by the bell and adapted to engage the flange at the upper end of the tank, substantially as described.

4. An acetylene-gas generator, comprising a gasometer the bell of'whieh has a sliding connection with a weight normally resting on a support in the tank, a generator-tank adapted to contain water, a carbid-bell adapted to' rise and fallin said generator-tank, a calciumcarbid holder removably secured in said bell and moving with the saine, a fixed gas-pipe Connected With the interior of the gasometerbell and opening into a tube carried on the inside of said carbid-bell, and means, substantially as described, for limiting the upward movement of said carbid-bell, as set forth.

OLIVER H. HAMPTON.

Witnesses:

A. P. DAHONEY, L. L. HARDISON. 

